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The latest Biotech News and Views |
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Join us on May 21: Inside the making of a diagnostic ELISA. Free to attend.
Good morning, If, like any biologist, you've been fixating on the headlines around the hantavirus outbreak on that cruise ship, I feel you. But the positive spin is that, since the COVID pandemic, we now live in a world where pathogen stories are met with faster detection, sharper surveillance, and a public that understands why epidemiology matters. Panic is loud, but so is progress.
— Joachim E. |
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| SNAPSHOT |
| Bayer purchases Perfuse at $2.45B to rebuild its eye-care pipeline beyond Eylea |
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| Bayer is acquiring Perfuse Therapeutics for up to $2.45bn to secure PER-001, a Phase II eye implant drug targeting glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. The deal includes $300m upfront and milestone payments. |
| Why it matters: Bayer's blockbuster Eylea once generated $9.6bn annually but now faces biosimilar competition after losing patent protection. While an upgraded version (Eylea HD) helps, it's a temporary buffer rather than a long-term solution. |
| Zoom in: PER-001 is an endothelin receptor antagonist delivered via a bio-erodible implant. It aims to improve blood flow, reduce inflammation, and prevent cell death in the eye. Unlike standard treatments that lower eye pressure, it may improve vision itself. The therapy is currently in Phase II trials for glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy and also being explored for geographic atrophy and retinal vein occlusion. |
| Big picture: The deal signals a strategic shift toward disease-modifying therapies in eye care, a major unmet need in conditions like glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, where current treatments mainly slow progression rather than restore vision. |
| What's next: Clinical trial results will determine whether PER-001 can advance to late-stage development and eventually compete in markets long dominated by anti-VEGF drugs like Eylea. |
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| PRESENTED BY PEPperPRINT |
| The story behind immunology's most familiar assay |
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The humble ELISA. You've either run one yourself or relied on its results at the doctor's office. But how does it go from research data to a diagnostic tool clinicians actually trust?
Join Samuel Lundin on Thursday, May 21, for a practical case study on how his team at Biotome developed Helitope, a peptide-based Helicobacter pylori ELISA built from peptide microarray data to improve diagnostic specificity.
Sign up to attend live and ask questions, or get the recording if you can't make it. |
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| SNAP AGAIN |
| GSK's $1B China deal targets stubborn belly fat and bigger cardiometabolic risks |
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| GSK is licensing SiranBio's early-stage oligonucleotide drug SA030 for $55M upfront and up to $1B in milestones and royalties, aiming to treat metabolic disease by reducing abdominal fat while preserving muscle. |
| Why it matters: Abdominal fat is closely tied to diabetes, heart disease, and inflammation, so a drug that safely reduces it could reshape treatment beyond weight loss drugs like GLP-1s. |
| Backstory: Unlike GLP-1 drugs, SA030 uses gene-silencing biology, opening the door to combination regimens and reinforcing GSK's bet on oligonucleotides as a core future platform. GSK has avoided the crowded obesity drug race, instead focusing on underlying cardiometabolic conditions. Its growing oligonucleotide pipeline includes partnerships with Ionis Pharmaceuticals and Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, plus prior deals for liver and lung diseases. |
| Zoom in: SA030 targets ALK7, a protein linked to fat storage and metabolism, with the purpose of reducing visceral (abdominal) fat while maintaining lean mass. The potential benefits include improved insulin sensitivity, better lipid profiles, and lower inflammation. SA030 is delivered as an oligonucleotide, offering a long-acting effect with infrequent dosing. |
| What's next: Currently in Phase I trials, SiranBio will complete early testing before GSK takes over global development (ex-China). |
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| SNIPPETS |
| What's happening in biotech today? |
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| Cardio boost: Cytokinetics' drug Myqorzo met primary and secondary goals in a Phase 3 trial for non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, demonstrating statistically significant improvements in peak oxygen consumption and patient-reported heart health compared to placebo, while showing no new safety concerns despite some manageable side effects. The success distinguishes Myqorzo from Bristol Myers Squibb's Camzyos, which previously failed in this patient group, and positions it to address a substantial unmet need in a condition where treatment options remain limited. Although the efficacy results were modest, analysts view them as meaningful and consistent, supporting potential regulatory discussions and a multibillion-dollar market opportunity. |
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| TOUR OPERATOR |
| Upcoming events |
| Vienna, 21 May 2026 - Onco:Innovate 2026 Europe Conference |
| New York, 2-4 June 2026 - Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference |
| New Orleans, 5 June 2026 - Sachs Annual Obesity & Cardiometabolic Innovation Forum |
| Berlin , 09-11 June 2026 - bio:cap |
| San Diego, 22-25 June 2026 - BIO International Convention |
| Buenos Aires, 21-24 June 2026 - International Conference of the Metabolomics Society |
| Boston , 10-13 August 2026 - Bioprocessing Summit |
| Munich, 28-31 August 2026 - ESC Congress 2026 |
| Barcelona, 7-9 September 2026 - Advanced Therapies Europe |
| Riyadh, 14-16 December 2026 - BIO Middle East |
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| Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News Medical or AZoNetwork. |
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